Copyright Laws for Play Readings?

Question

I have a play that I want to read excerpts from for a high school forensics (debate) meet. Its copyright warning says that I need to obtain permission from insert-adress-here. What sort of letter should I write to ask for permission, and what kind of red tape can I expect (I've had bad red tape experiences while getting past the copyright laws for our drama club play).

Answer 1

I'm not a lawyer.

My understanding is that quotations used within an educational structure (class or extracurricular activity), in a setting for which no admission price is charged (rather than, for example, a student production of one scene from the play, with admission paid to see the performance), are not in violation of copyright.

Student and scholarly use receive special consideration.

Answer 2

Usually excerpts for competitions are exempt from any copyright infringement laws, but it doesn't hurt to write and ask. However, anything that you perform for a public is subject to copyright laws and, hence, royalty fees. A theatre where I used to perform had a Reader's Theatre series where we read a play and discussed it for a couple of weeks then gave an "informance" or informal performance. We charged nothing for folks to come see it, we sat on stools and read with the scripts in our hands, not in costume,not blocked, not lit dramatically. But the publishing house found out and fined the theatre $20,000 dollars for royalties it should have been paying all along.

Answer 3

Disney can no longer supply you the rights to try this for 2 motives. One, you're doing all your man or woman element with their track--no longer gonna fly. they'll purely lease you the rights and the scripts in case you settle to do the completed version or an authorized slicing. 2, Lion King is at the instant traveling, and hence they are unlikely to permit different productions. some publishers enable distinctive productions close to a minimum of one yet another, yet Disney is relatively strict approximately this. every time you utilize yet another author's/composer's/writer's/corporation'... artwork, you will could desire to pay royalties and purchase or lease scripts. Sorry to tell you this when you have already made your plans, yet extra perfect you be responsive to it now than in case you finally end up properly into production. that is how artists make money. The exception could be while you're employing the artwork in a lecture room placing without aim industry--that is seen "academic purpose use" of a artwork of paintings, and is admissible below copyright regulation. whether or no longer you cost admission is beside the point--if somebody is observing you carry out, even yet another classification down the hallway, you are going to be able to desire to pay. Disney isn't the corporation you desire to tangle with, the two--they're interior the the main suitable option, they have the time and the attorneys to prosecute, and that they've completed it in the past. do no longer DO IT! extra perfect to have disenchanted young ones on your palms than to run into substantial legal hardship in an prolonged time. Sorry--which could no longer be answer you have been hoping to pay attention. it relatively is, even with the incontrovertible fact that, the moral and legal element to do.

Answer 4

Write a letter, stating that you want to read excerpts from, (name of play) for a high school forensics (debate) meet.
Please give me permission to use the excerpts from (name of play).

Thank you very much.